Why are poor minorities overrepresented in prison populations?

[Richard87]

It seems that, in every country with a significant black population, they make up the majority of the prison population.

 

[rootX]

Why they were suppressed for many decades and not given enough opportunities?

 

[russ_watters]

I don't know about other countries, but in the US, crime is better associated with poverty than with race. But since blacks make up a disproportionate fraction of the poor population, they therefore make up a disproportionate fraction of the criminal population.

That poverty is also linked to the lingering effects of institutionalized racism, which ended only around 45 years ago. The big question to me is whether 45 years should be enough to break out of the cultural problems that that caused. Today, there exists a strong culture among young inner-city blacks who should be free of pre-1960s institutionalized racism that pressures them toward drugs and crime instead of academic achievement. So they may be stuck in a feedback loop of sorts.

 

[rootX]

I don't know about other countries, but in the US, crime is better associated with poverty than with race. But since blacks make up a disproportionate fraction of the poor population, they therefore make up a disproportionate fraction of the criminal population.

That poverty is also linked to the lingering effects of institutionalized racism, which ended only around 45 years ago. The big question to me is whether 45 years should be enough to break out of the cultural problems that that caused. Today, there exists a strong culture among young inner-city blacks who should be free of pre-1960s institutionalized racism that pressures them toward drugs and crime instead of academic achievement. So they may be stuck in a feedback loop of sorts.

I believe Indians also still live lower life styles despite given more than enough support. I can only conclude that suppressing can result in very damaging consequences which harm both (victim and the suppressor) somewhere in the future.

 

[ideasrule]

How does the crime rate of recent black immigrants compare with that of blacks born in the country? That could support or refute claims that blacks commit crime because they've been "suppressed".

 

[rootX]

How does the crime rate of recent black immigrants compare with that of blacks born in the country? That could support or refute claims that blacks commit crime because they've been "suppressed".

I would be very interested in those numbers. But whom do immigrants interact with most when they are new? I believe that might render them [those statistics] meaningless.

However, I remember looking at some numbers that said some immigrants/their children (not black immigrants) have higher education than average Americans which could be mainly due to cultural values or priorities than racial differences.

 

[zoobyshoe]

It seems that, in every country with a significant black population, they make up the majority of the prison population.

I think a better question would be: given the history of savage behavior of whites toward blacks, how is it any blacks manage to lead law abiding lives?

 

[Leptos]

On one hand it might be that African Americans a little more aggressive which isn't helped by the culture many of them are born into in America. From what I've read, oriental Asians tend to be a bit more docile on average than whites and blacks tend to be a little more aggressive on average than whites.

There's nothing wrong with it, blacks are just confident and proud. When you're confident you don't feel like anyone can stop you but unfortunately modern society will put you in jail if you act on your confidence.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

In the People's Democratic Republic of Northern South Jersey it's because the cops arrest them for things they don't arrest whites for. Juries convict them when they allow a white to go free under the same circumstances. Judges impose harsher sentences on them than on whites.

South politician preaches to the poor white man,
"You got more than the blacks, don't complain.
You're better than them, you been born with white skin," they explain.
And the Negro's name
Is used it is plain
For the politician's gain
As he rises to fame
And the poor white remains
On the caboose of the train
But it ain't him to blame
He's only a pawn in their game.

 

[Tobias Funke]

Black people have more densely packed twitch muscle fibers and testosterone, and thus, applying airtight science, they're more aggressive and confident in their ability to escape police, who are only trying to strip search them for their own good.

Also, white people have higher access to the internet, and are thus more liekly to wonder why black people are so violent.

It's all true, bro. I read it online.

 

[MotoH]

I don't think that it is "payback" for being suppressed from the start of America till the mid 20th century, because most black criminals do not know exactly how things were back then. Which leads me to my other point, that most inner-city children are not educated, or do not care for education, as much as they should.

Poverty also plays a role, which is why there is also a large white criminal population in poorer areas. There is more emphasis put on getting food to the table for that night, than learning about math and english because how could that possibly help them in their situation? (as is in most school children, they do not understand that education is key to success and breaking free from the endless cycle of poverty. Some do break free and create and excellent life for themselves and their family, but most do not.)

There seems to also be a direct correlation between poverty and drug use. Could drugs be a way of escaping their harsh life of living day to day looking for food or a place to stay(not always)? I believe that it is a way to make a quick buck, and also a way to get away from the stresses of every day life.

 

[Chi Meson]

Post of the year!

Black people have more densely packed twitch muscle fibers and testosterone, and thus, applying airtight science, they're more aggressive and confident in their ability to escape police, who are only trying to strip search them for their own good.

Also, white people have higher access to the internet, and are thus more likely to wonder why black people are so violent.

It's all true, bro. I read it online.

(Is that you, Jimmy the Greek?)

 

[madness]

Crime rate is usually correlated to wealth gap. In countries where everyone is poor, the crime rate isn't usually too bad. So it's wealth gap rather than poverty which is to blame.

 

[mgb_phys]

Crime rate is usually correlated to wealth gap. In countries where everyone is poor, the crime rate isn't usually too bad. So it's wealth gap rather than poverty which is to blame.

Leading to the complete lack of crime in say South Africa or Somalia, and the phenomenal crime rate in Monaco or Lichtenstein?

Arrest and conviction is inversely proportional to wealth.
Even assuming no racial discrimination by the police, prosecutors or juries - it's a lot easier to arrest, convict and imprison someone for a $5 robbery from a convenience store or possession of $50 of drugs than it is to prosecute somebody who can afford a good lawyer for a white collar crime.

 

[Klockan3]

Crime and bad childhood is very closely related, poverty is not a factor if that other factor is eliminated. When blacks gained more rights and less poverty during the 20'th century the amount of crimes committed by blacks also increased, this is probably linked to that during the same time period the amount of single black mothers had increased dramatically, much more than with whites.

By the same notion Asian slums were often just as poor or poorer than black slums but they were still underrepresented in crime lists.

Poverty also plays a role, which is why there is also a large white criminal population in poorer areas. There is more emphasis put on getting food to the table for that night, than learning about math and english because how could that possibly help them in their situation?

Everyone got enough money from state aid to pay for food, if they steal they do it to fuel some addiction, hence the point towards bad childhood.

Arrest and conviction is inversely proportional to wealth.

Stability, not wealth. Wealth often comes from stability but they are not directly correlated.

 

[fluidistic]

Crime rate is usually correlated to wealth gap. In countries where everyone is poor, the crime rate isn't usually too bad. So it's wealth gap rather than poverty which is to blame.

I tend to strongly disagree with this. In poor countries, the security is not the same as in developed countries. Wealth many times comes with drug in poor countries. I'm guessing you haven't visited a favela in Brazil. I live in Argentina and I can tell you that there are entire districts (called villas) in Buenos Aires where no police would enter, no ambulance, etc.
There is many violence and the poverty is extremely high. I may also add that in poor countries, it's sometime extremely easy to corrupt the police if you have some money. The police itself, in many, many cases do not respect the law. Sometime for convenience, sometime because they don't even know the law.

 

[madness]

Leading to the complete lack of crime in say South Africa or Somalia, and the phenomenal crime rate in Monaco or Lichtenstein?

Arrest and conviction is inversely proportional to wealth.
Even assuming no racial discrimination by the police, prosecutors or juries - it's a lot easier to arrest, convict and imprison someone for a $5 robbery from a convenience store or possession of $50 of drugs than it is to prosecute somebody who can afford a good lawyer for a white collar crime.

South Africa is a perfect example of a country with a large wealth gap. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_inequality#Social_cohesion In countries with lower wealth gap homicide is consistently lower.

 

[fluidistic]

South Africa is a perfect example of a country with a large wealth gap. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_inequality#Social_cohesion In countries with lower wealth gap homicide is consistently lower.

We're talking about crime, not homicides, although I agree they tend to go in hand.
Look at this map: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate. So the wealthiest countries are... Brazil, Russia and some South African ones?

 

[Evo]

Unfortunately this thread is not in line with making every member feel welcomed, closed.